Is It True?
by Kenkaya
Summary: On the eve of a fateful wedding, Yahiko contemplates the pains of unrequited affection and a love he never knew existed until it was too late. Songfic to Is It True? by The Eagles.


Fevered Revelations

A/N: This was somewhat of a personal challenge for me since I seem to be allergic to one-shots. Everything I write seems to turn into a muti-chapter fic sighs so I was determined that this would not be. Now before I start, I know people are going to bag on me for the age difference, so ahead of time: I don't care about the age difference between Kenshin and Kaoru so I don't care about this one (which is considerably less if you think about it.) Hell, Aoshi is about the same age as Kenshin and nobody calls him a pedophile when he goes after Misao. Also, if you feel the need to flame me, I respect your opinion, but please have the balls to back up your opinion! Nothing pisses me off more than an anonymous flame. I won't flame you back, but at least respect yourselves by showing some guts! I've said my piece, enjoy!

_song lyrics_

Disclaimer: Since I AM posting on a fanfiction site… I don't think this is necessary. Oh, and I don't own the song either. On to the story.

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Is It True?

By Kenkaya

The night air flows across my heated skin in a cool caress as I sit on the Aoiya roof. The stars shine brightly in a clear spring sky, the Milky Way a gentle mist to sooth my unshed tears. She chose the wedding date, of course. The timing is perfect, a match made in heaven; a time of revival and the balanced mix of their personalities. He is the cool winter, collected, always testing. She is the lazy summer, energetic, always smiling, the yin to his yang. Yes, they were made for each other. Together they are the spring and the fall. I sigh wistfully. I was such a fool to believe I had a chance.

_How come you love him when he_

__

Takes you for a fool

He's only lookin' for a good time

How can he love you when he

_Treats you mean and cruel  
_  
Naturally, I had my reasons for hope. For years he ignored her advances, always pulling away when she got to close. He disappeared when she was a child, only to re-appear years later with cold eyes and uncaring steal. He abandoned all her ideals of him to seek revenge without meaning. He cut down the old man, Okina, as she watched in paralyzed horror. He walked away without a second thought when she ran to the battered body of the man who raised her. He returned later for healing, only to ignore her honest attempts, meditating in solitude, she could only watch from a distance. I could see the pain in her eyes. He hurt her in so many ways.

_He's not the best thing that you could find_

__

Is it true?

I can't believe it

Is it true?

I just can't see it

Is it true?

_Is that you?  
_  
I think I loved her then. Of course, I was only ten, back then I didn't understand the concept of true love beyond that of brotherly. Oh, I had my crushes; Tsubame was living proof of that. But they came and went. I never stopped loving her. We had an understanding even then; I teased her, she teased me, and we exchanged insults, some (on occasion) not directed toward each other. We feared and hated Saitou with equal cowardice. We faced enemies together, fought side by side, and laughed together afterwards. It all seems like a dream now when I look back on it. So pure; innocent.

_When we were young, we didn't really have a care_

__

You were hung up, I had a good line

I never knew it then but, man, I was in love

_How could I know it was the right time?_

She cried back then too. The man she loved, pined for since childhood, seemed to have left her behind in the dust like so many things. I watched the tears fall and hated Shinomori Aoshi for all the pain she felt. Now that I think on it, I missed my chance then. She needed someone to help mend the broken heart inside and that someone could have been me. I was too young, too naïve to snatch the opportunity. Instead, I watched and joked to stop her tears like a loyal friend. That was all I was, right?

I remember one night, she returned from Aoshi's temple late. I was thirteen, visiting Kyoto with Kenshin and Kaoru. It was their first vacation since the wedding and, like an idiot, I decided to tag along. She walked methodically, empty tea tray in hand, eyes downcast.

"Misao?" I asked gingerly, stopping my kata in mid-swing. I was restless, and nothing put me to sleep better than a good workout. I could often be found in the dojo courtyard on sleepless nights when I was younger. Misao halted her steps and looked up at me with positively mournful eyes.

"Yahiko," she whispered. Her tone spoke of hurt and deep seated need. I blinked in confusion.

"Something wrong with Buddha-boy?" I quipped without a second thought. Goading the spunky ninja girl on had become somewhat of a habit over the years.

"I… yes," she sighed, falling almost gracefully to sit on her knees. "I'm beginning to think I'll never get through to him. I try to help… but he never notices me sitting there. I don't think he'll ever notice me," she finished in a dejected tone. Again, cold fury washed over me at the thought that the icicle could bring our weasel girl to this state. Didn't he realize what he was doing to her? Of course not, he was too self-absorbed to see the hurt he caused outside his little bubble. I wondered, not for the first time, why I felt so strongly, but dismissed the thought. Misao was like a sister to me. It was my duty to bash Aoshi's head in for hurting her. But before I did that…

"Misao, he's an idiot. He's in love with someone else right now."

Misao gasped in shock, her eyes pleading with me to deny those words. I fought to keep a telling tick from lifting my dimples.

"Yeah, he's in love with himself. Moron, does he think he's going to get any answers just sitting around up there all day? Geez, Kenshin had to wander around Japan for ten years before he realized anything!" Her lips quirked and I felt my spirits lift at her smile, small as it was. I had done my duty.

"Thanks, Yahiko," she nodded. "I feel better. Aoshi-sama will never see me as anything but a little girl. I guess it's time I realized that."

I watched her walk back inside the Aoiya, ignoring the way my heart sped up in her presence. I was such a fool.

_Is it true?_

__

You've lost that feelin'

Is it true?

You might be leavin'

Is it true?

_Don't wanna find out_

Misao came to visit us nearly a year later to escape the pressures of life at the Aoiya, and Aoshi. She slept in my old room. She seemed so carefree, as if an unbearable burden had been released from her shoulders. I saw her often when I went to the dojo for lessons. We fell into our old routine; we teased each other, mocked each other, we sparred once and she kicked my ass. I claimed that she cheated and she laughed, daring me to prove it as she danced her victory. I tripped her, naturally, and we fell to grappling.

It was like old times. She stayed the whole summer, watching me train, accompanying me when I went to fish for Kenshin. Kaoru's pregnancy was having a toll on the ex-rurouni, but he seemed happy. I only wanted to help out the man I saw as a sort of surrogate father in any way I could. Misao fussed over Kaoru constantly and I teased the weasel for being more of a worrywart than Kenshin.

"What did you say, Yahiko-_chan_?" she would retort. Now fourteen years of age, the old insult didn't have quite the impact it used to, but I played along for old time's sake. I chased her and she laughed, her long, black braid whipping through the air.

Toward the end of her stay, she surprised me by visiting the row house where I lived.

"M… Misao! What are you doing here?" I blurted out. I had always come to see her, not the other way around.

"What? I can't come visit my friends now?" she huffed. "Fine then! I know when I'm not wanted," and she turned to leave with an indignant "hmph!"

"No! It's not like that. You just surprised me. Come in," I said, rushing forward to hold the shoji open. She smiled brightly and let herself in.

"Didn't this use to be Sano's place?" she asked as she gave the place a once over.

"Yeah, why?"

"It's neater than I thought it would be."

I snorted, "Of course! I've been living here almost four years! I'm not a slob like Sano!" Like it or not, busu's obsession with cleaning had paid off. I hated dust with almost as much passion as she did.

"That's a nice surprise," Misao said lightly. Her expression fell slightly. "Most men aren't. But Aoshi-sama was always neat. I found it kind of embarrassing as a child that I was a girl and Aoshi-sama's room was so much neater than mine." She choked at this admission. "Damn it," she rasped. "I came here to forget about him!"

"He's still being an ass?"

"I can't help it," she sobbed. "I tried, I really did, but I can't get over him. I love him." She leaned over and came to rest on my shoulder, seeking comfort. Slowly, I put my arm around her shaking form, unsure of my actions or why my chest suddenly felt so tight. "You're not going to make fun of me, are you?" she questioned timidly. I fought the urge to chuckle and lost.

"Misao," I said to her stricken face. "I'm your friend. I may not always be the brightest guy, but I think I know when to tease and when not to." She smiled as tears began to fall down her rosy cheeks.

"Thank you, Yahiko," she sniffed. She continued to cry herself out until her ragged breath grew uneven. I looked down. She had fallen asleep. Shifting carefully, I moved her to my bed and laid her down. I leaned against the wall opposite, and settled for an uneasy rest. When I woke up in the early morning hours, she was already gone.

_Yes, I was so wrong_

__

For leading you on

_There wasn't much I could do_

I never imagined then that I would be in this situation. I never expected Aoshi to come out of his revere and realize what he was missing. I didn't know just how deep my feelings ran until Misao came running to us just a few short months ago, tears of joy in her eyes.

"He proposed! He proposed! Isn't that wonderful?!"

I felt something inside me crumble at those words. I should have been happy. Misao was finally loved by the man she loved for so many years. I was her friend. Why did I feel so horrible? Why did I want to grab her and tell her I would love her so much more than he ever could? I loved her. The revelation left me awestruck and I felt as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes. Of course, I was such a fool to not realize before now. Now it was too late.

What did I miss? Soon after that summer visit, I went on a journey of my own to build reputation, only returning to visit the dojo occasionally. Already, thugs in Tokyo knew me. I even saved Tsubame from a few. But I never realized Aoshi was stealing Misao from right under my nose. All because I wasn't there. I really screwed things up for us.

_I was a wild one, but I can change some_

__

If that's important to you

Is it true- you've lost that feelin'?

Is it true- you might be leavin'?

Is it true?

_Is it true?_

Aoshi and I were so different. He was cool, collected, and calm; the type of quiet that gave one the impression of hidden danger. I was straightforward. I fought with my heart and my emotions on my sleeve. That was how I got Kenshin. How I got the sakabatou. Is that why she could never see me? I had few secrets; I was not a mystery to unravel. Is that why she never showed interest in me? Now I understood Misao's pain. The pain of unrequited love. Ironic that she would be the one to inflict it.

I look up at the stars and let the night song of spring engulf me. Here on the roof, I cry, because tomorrow I will have to hide everything with a smile.

_She's really leavin'_

_She's really leavin'_

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Owari (End)


End file.
